As I mentioned at the beginning, most onsen ryokan have yukata prepared for guests to use as sleepwear and for relaxing around the inn. You can even wear the ryokan yukata while walking around town. That means these robes are used all year round, not just in summer!
The majority of visitors to Kinosaki Onsen are dressed in yukata, this includes men and children as well as women. In Kinosaki Onsen you will feel more than comfortable wearing your yukata outside of the baths and your ryokan.
It is recommended that you do not shower after bathing in an onsen, as rinsing your body will weaken the minerals' healing effects. However, taking a quick cold shower or bath upon leaving the bath, which has its own health benefits, has also been recommended.
Doctors do not recommend using onsen at all while menstruating. But, if you absolutely cannot avoid it, use a tampon. Even if it's a “light” day, nobody wants blood or bodily fluids floating around in the shared bath water. Using a tampon will also help protect against water entering through your cervical opening.
Onsen etiquette
It's best not to eat before bathing in the onsen, but you need to drink a lot of water before and after your onsen bath. Keep your bath to a minimum. Staying too long may cause dehydration.
The frequency of bathing shall be at most 1-2 times per day, and when people get used to Onsen, they can enjoy 2-3 times per day. Duration of bathing depends on the temperatures of water, but generally it shall be around 3-10 minutes at one time, and can be extended to 15-20 minutes if you get used to it.
Today, Live Japan shares onsen bathers have a choice of coffee milk or fruit milk — both are sweet drinks that seem to help the body re-energize quickly after a bath.
wear ANY clothes or swimsuits in the bathing area; the small towel can be used to cover yourself when out of the water. Some onsen may offer a thin gauze bathing cover-up for women to rent. submerge your face or head, it is considered unclean. yell or speak loudly, onsen are for relaxing.
Do NOT bathe in an onsen if you are at the active stage of a disease (especially if you have a fever); Onsen bathing imposes a large burden on your body, so avoid bathing in an onsen when you are weak and tired as the symptoms may become worse.
“Yes, if it's in the correct position, the device is fully open, and there is no leakage, then you can go into the onsen.” Voila! For those opting for tampons, make sure that the string is not clearly visible and change it as soon as you leave the onsen.
So next time you are wondering what you should do after onsen, consider drinking a cold glass of milk.
The ritual of drinking milk after Onsen bathing developed in Japan over fifty years ago, when the majority of the population were using Sento or Onsen facilities instead of home baths. After bathing, rehydration is not only necessary, but an enjoyable part of the Onsen experience.
However, hot water above 42 Celsius (109F) causes dry skin and also high blood pressure, so complete bathing for 10 minutes with a half-body bath method. If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, better avoid taking a hot bath at 42 Celsius (109F) and higher.
A: The answer differs for men and women. In general, it is acceptable for men to shave in the shower area of the onsen, and razors are even provided. For women, it is not generally acceptable to shave in the onsen as this is seen as an activity that should be done privately.
So please don't concern yourself with being embarrassed in an onsen. It is a great experience that is both relaxing and exhilarating. Also, there is no reason to fear tourists or Japanese. Really, everyone inside the onsen doesn't care at all!
Rule #2: You must be completely naked
In Japan, clothing, towels, and any other garments are considered sullied or “dirty” and should never, ever be brought into an onsen.
Inside the Onsen room, you will notice “cleaning stations” along the walls with mirrors, showers and buckets. This is the washing area. Choose a low stool and rinse it off before sitting down. With your small towel, thoroughly wash your entire body, including your hair, using the products provided.
Some onsen have a strong sulfuric smell while others have a weaker one but, in general, the milkier the water, the stronger the sulfuric smell.
No Clothes Allowed
No clothes or bathing suits are allowed in the onsen bathing areas. People try hard to preserve the cleanliness of onsen. They are somewhat sacred places. Clothes and bathing suits can bring dirt and soap into the hot spring waters from outside and are, therefore, considered unhygienic.
Couple onsens are special spaces where the two of you would never be disturbed by other people. Private onsens in guest rooms, in particular, let you spend time with your sweetheart enjoying the hot spring all day long, without the need to go out the door. The experience is largely different from normal dates.
Before entering the onsen bath itself
It's common practice (and courteous) to wash yourself off before entering the bath, even though you may observe some people just rinsing themselves off. If you brought your own soap, be sure to leave it neatly placed by the shower to avoid inconveniencing other visitors.
Shower before you bathe.
Even when bathing in the privacy of their own home, the Japanese always clean themselves under the shower before having a soak in the bath – and this is even more important when you're visiting a communal sento or onsen – to keep the water as clean as possible.
Thermal Effect
It has been found that Japanese way of taking bath consumes significant energy. For example, when you take 42 ℃ onsen for 20 minutes, it is said to consume 220Kcal. It burns your calories as much as light jogging. That means, there is a diet effect!
In general there are two types of onsens: day onsens and overnight stay onsens. The day onsens are for day-trippers who want to relax for a few hours. Overnight onsens are for guests who will be staying the night.
There are two major rules to take Onsen. First, you should now allow your wash-towel or any soap into the bathtub. Secondly, when you leave the bath, you do not drain the water. These manners come from the fact that you are not the only person to use the bath water in the tub.